Product encircling band



Jan. 30, 1962 W. M. TOLAAS ETAL PRODUCT ENCIRCLING BAND Filed Dec. 10.1958 1 l 1 V I I7 21 23 29 251 l9 |5-1 I I, 3 #p/ l6 -2o l sab /27 l L32 J i FIG. 3

INVENTOR; WILL|AM M- TOLAA S.

ARTHUR H. DURAND ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,018,938 PRODUCTENCIRCLING BAND William M. Tolaas and Arthur H. Durand, St. Paul,

Minn., assignors to Waldorf Paper Products Co., Ramsey County, Minn., acorporation of Minnesota Filed Dec. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 779,330 Claims.(Cl. 22940) This invention relates to an improvement in productcontaining band and deals particularly with a means of holding a productin a predetermined position during an overwrapping operation.

Products such as wieners and sausages of various types are often packedin an overwrap of transparent material such as cellophane. in order tohold the various wieners in'proper relationship, the wieners or the likeare often enclosed with a paper band which not only holds the wieners ina predetermined form, but also provides a means of identifying andadvertising the product. The bands are often narrow relative to thelength of the wieners or sausages leaving the ends of these objectsexposed and usually entirely encircles the wieners.

When objects of the type described are wrapped with cellophane oranother transparent wrapper, the package formed is not particularly neator attractive due to the fact that the ends of the wieners or sausagesare normally round and the wrapper does not fold neatly over theserounded edges. On the other hand, if the wieners are placed in a tray,the cost of the package is increased materially and only the tops of thewieners in the top layer are visible to the purchaser. -It is an objectof the present invention to provide a means of supporting the wienerswhich will permit a neat overwrapping operation which is inexpensive toproduce and which will leave the ends of wieners as well as the toplayer of wieners exposed.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a folderincluding a pair of parallel side walls and a connecting bottom panelhingedly connected to the lower edges of the side walls. A pair ofstraps are cut from the folder which are hingedly connected to theparallel side walls along fold lines parallel to the fold linesconnecting the side walls to the bottom panel. Each strap is defined bya pair of spaced out lines intersecting the fold lines connecting theside walls to the bottom panel and by a transverse cut line in thebottom panel connecting the first two cut lines. The two straps areoverlapped and connected together and form a partition which is parallelto the bottom panel and spaced therefrom. The partition panel ispreferably connected to the side walls midway between the upper andlower edges thereof so that half of the wieners are placed beneath thepartition wall and one-half of the wieners are placed above thepartition. The partition straps form a means of holding the side wallsin parallel relation and in holding the layers of wieners in properrelation but these straps are concealed by the upper layer of wieners inthe completed package.

-A feature of the present invention resides in the fact that therectangular side Walls and bottom panel form a rectangular outline overwhich the wrapper may be neatlyfolded. If desired, one of the side wallsmay be slightly lower in height than the other so that the wrapper willfold about the rounded surface of the end Wiener of the top layer, thisside wall extending to a sufficient height however to prevent anysubstantial amount of distortion at the top corners of the package.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the fact that thepartition forming straps are cut from the body of the folder and as aresult do not take additional paper board. This is important as packagesof the type described must be extremely inexpensive due to thecompetitive nature of the product.

3,918,938 Patented Jan. 30, 1962 A further feature of the presentinvention resides in the fact that one of the side walls may if desiredbe provided with a flange hingedly connected to the upper edge thereofand overlying one of the wieners at the top of the package. This fia'ngemay be printed to identify the product and serves not only to reinforcethe upper edge of the side Wall but also to provide an identificationwhich is readily visible from above the package so that a prospectivepurchaser may readily identify the goods when they are contained in achest type cooler or the like.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the completed package as it wouldappear in use.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the folder with the product removedtherefrom.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the folderillustrated is formed.

The band A is formed of the blank illustrated in FIG- URE 3 of thedrawings. This blank includes a generally rectangular bottom panel 10which is connected along parallel fold lines 1'1 and 12 to side walls 13and 14. The side wall 13 is foldably connected along a fold line 15 to atop flange 16. The fold line 15 is preferably parallel to the previouslydescribed fold lines 11 and 12.

A pair of straps 17 and 19 are cut from portions of the side walls andbottom panel. The strap 17 is foldably connected to the side wall 13along a fold line 20 which is parallel to the previously described foldlines and is preferably approximately intermediate the fold lines 11 and15. The strap 17 is shown as being defined by parallel cut lines 21 and22 which extend from the ends of the fold line 20, across the fold line11 and to a point near the center of the bottom panel 10. The end of thestrap 17 is defined by a out line 23 which connects the cut lines 21 and22. While these last mentioned cut lines are described as beingparallel, obviously this is a matter of choice and these out lines couldbe-divergent, curved, or otherwise shaped.

The strap 19 is connected to the side wall 14 along a fold line 24 whichis parallel to the previously described fold lines. The distance betweenthe fold lines 12 and 24 is normally equal to the distance between thefold lines 11 and 20 so that when the band is set up, the two strapsform a partition extending parallel to the base or bottom panel 10. Thestrap 19 is defined by parallel cut lines 25 and 26 which extend fromthe ends of the fold line 24 across the fold line 12 to a point near thecenter of the bottom panel 10. Obviously the length of the straps 17 and19 depends upon the proportions of the products being packaged and ifthe side wall panels are high relative to the width of the bottom panel,the two straps may terminate short of thec enter of the bottom panel. Agenerally triangular locking tongue 27 projects beyond the aligned cutlines 29 and 30 forming a portion of the end of the strap 19, opposednotches 3'1 and 32 being provided on opposite sides of the lockingtongue 27 to provide a better lock. A transverse locking slot 33 isprovided in the strap 17 through which the locking tongue 27 may engage.When in fully locked position, the notches 31 and 32 engage the ends ofthe locking slot 33.

The side panel 14 may be the full height of the side panel 13 if a fullyrectangular package is desired. However, it has been found that if thewall panel 14 is slightly shorter than the panel 13 the transparentwrapper will fold about one end of the product without undue distortion.Due to the fact that all of the other corners of the package arerectangular. If the wall panel 14 is made of full height, it is usuallypreferable to provide a flange such as the flange 16 attached to theupper edge thereof so as to reinforce the upper corners of both sidewalls. The reason for this lies in the fact that the upper edge of theside wall 14 would lie in spaced relation to the upper surface of theproduct along its upper edge due to the generally cylindrical shape ofthe objects being packed. Obviously this is only true when the band isused for containing a product such as wieners or sausages.

The flange 16 is usually relatively short and is normally printed so asto advertise and identify the product when the packages are stored in achest type cooler or the like. The package is normally packed by placinga layer of wieners on the bottom panel 10, with the straps 17 and 19bent out of the plane thereof to extend upwardly. The two straps arethen interconnected to form the partition and the second layer ofproduct is placed to overlie the partition. The flange 16 is folded tooverlie the product and the package in this form is introduced to theoverwrapping machine which applies a covering 35 which is usually oftransparent material so that the product can be viewed.

In accordance with the patent statutes we have described the principlesof construction and operation of our product enclosing band, and whilewe have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, we desireto have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scopeof the following claims without departing from the spirit of ourinvention.

We claim:

1. A product enclosing band including a strip of sheet material cut andfolded to comprise a base panel and a pair of side wall panels foldablyconnected to opposite edges thereof, and a pair of straps each cut fromthe lower central portion of a corresponding side wall and from anadjoining central portion of the base panel and foldably connected tosaid side walls and means connecting said straps, said straps forming apartial partition parallel to said base panel and substantially spacedfrom the upper edges of said side walls panel, said straps holding saidside walls in substantially parallel relation,

and a flange hingedly connected to the upper edge of one of said sidewall panels along a line of fold substantially parallel to the foldlines connecting said base panel to said side wall panels.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said flange is folded parallelto said base and said straps are secured to said side wallssubstantially midway between said base panel and said flange.

3. A product package in combination with a product, the packageincluding a bottom panel, a pair of side wall panels foldably connectedthereto along parallel opposite edges thereof, a pair of substantiallycentrally located straps hingedly connected to said side walls alongfold lines parallel to said parallel opposite edges of said bottompanel, said straps being defined by cut lines extending from the ends ofsaid fold lines, through the lower portions of said corresponding sidewall panel and across an adjoining portion of said bottom panel andterminating in a transverse cut line connecting the first named cutlines between said parallel opposite edges of said bottom panel, a layerof product overlying said bottom panel, said straps forming a partitionoverlying said layer parallel to said base and secured together to holdsaid side walls substantially parallel, and a second layer overlyingsaid straps between the upper portions of said side walls.

4. The structure of claim 3 and including a flap hingedly secured to theupper edge of one side wall and overlying said second layer of product.

5. The structure of claim 3 and including an overwrapping enclosing saidbottom panel, side wall panels, and product.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,318,957 Morris et al May 11, 1943 2,646,357 Seiferth July 21, 19532,678,770 Bonini May 18, 1954 2,860,824 Guyer Nov. 18, 1958

